Race season 2015

My season this year was completely different as I had the opportunity to work in Portugal with Tri Training Harder. This job was like my dream job, I really enjoyed it. However, I am not gonna lie, it wasn't easy at the beginning due to the fact I was working in English which is not my native language. Well, let´s see how my staying with TTH gang helped me in my racing this year...

March

Sprint triathlon Quarteira (0.75 - 20 - 5)

Scott and Lynn with Czech flag.

This was really nice event and my first triathlon with swimming in the ocean. I also nearly drowned there when unexpected wave tried how great I am with somersaultes under the water. Our chefs Scott and Lynn were cheering us up, which was awesome. They were waiving with Czech flag at transition so I found my bike easily. Bike route was good, but it was so hot for running afterwards.

Lesson learned:

• Sprint is not really my thing, you actually need to run fast!

June

Marathon du Mont Blanc (42km)

There is a separate article only about this race so I won't describe it here. Let me just say it was a race with hours and hours of enjoying! Ok, so now more seriously. I must admit it was really nice, you run a route with beautiful lanscapes, nice volunteers are helping you, so amazing race.

Lesson learned:

• Always take more food to race like this one, better than being hungry and grumpy.
• Don´t travel home straight after race, it's not really comfy when you have cramps all over your body.
• If you have a picture with course profile with all the refreshment points make it from material that it's not torn when you are sweaty.

August

Hamrman sprint triathlon (0.75 - 27.5 - 7)

Photo: Jackies007

This event was held as a triathlon weekend, halfironman on Saturday and short triathlons on Sunday. 

I enjoyed a company of my friend Maria and we participated in halfironman´s race as a volunteers. 

I was racing at short triathlon on Sunday, sprint again. I realised that sprint is not really for me. After getting out from first transition I tried flying squirell which didn´t end well, I slightly hurt my big toe. It wasn´t painful that much, but when I got to second transition I noticed my toe was covered in blood. I managed to run, I was more concerned about hot weather. My running was horribly slow, but I placed fifth.

Lesson learned:

• Sprint is not for me (haven´t I written that before??) 
• Flying squirell is not the safest way how to get on your bike.

Pilman, halfironman (1.9 - 90 - 21.1)

Pilman was Czech championship in middle distance triathlon, so quite huge event. The route was cheeky, hilly bike, hilly run. My friend described me the course profile, then I checked online and it didn´t look that bad (yes, I can't read in maps) so I though it wouldn´t be that bad, I cycled lots of hills back in Portugal, didn´t I?
I was wrong.
Next surprise came at the registration as they gave me bags for transition and I thought to myself: 'Bags? I haven´t been to a triathlon with bags, my whole transition system is ruined now!' I asked my friend Miloš what I should do and just for being sure I also asked a lady parking next to us. It turned out she was Petra Krejčová, later organisers mentioned her name as she qualified to Kona. Great! I asked the right person, she obviously knows what to do at transition. Start was from water which is better for me. I was able to draft quite a lot in swimming, that also helped a lot. There were referees on bike course (my first triathlon with proper referees!) and once they pointed out that I was not keeping so much on the right side - yes, sound like me, when I am cycling the road is not wide enough!
Soon I started to feel very sick on a bike, which was also new for me as I usually feel sick while running. I didn´t know how I can finish in a state like that, but every bit of Coke helped a lot. I found changing the pace of running quite hard as the course was hilly. Somehow I run all 21km and finished. Then I heard they were welcoming 8th woman and 2nd in my age group. I didn´t know if I should be smiling or crying... So I tried both.

Lesson learned:

• What I should do with bags at transtition.
• When someone says it's hilly then its probably truth.
• Drafting in swimming really works!

Glassman (0.7 - 32 - 6.4)

Are you warm enough??

This triathlon is short, but classic, I managed to win last year so I knew I have to come back and try to win again. Start was together with men so I could draft some guys in front of me. That day was also hot weather, so I was really struggling while running. Somehow I won again, so I was happy with this race. 

Lesson learned:

• You can place great even if you feel bad during race. 

September

Xterra Hrádek (0.4 - 16 - 4)

Do I look scared?  :-)
Photo: Denisa Kovačová

Race where I was also participated as a volunteer. I came to this event few days in advance (we had to built the transition etc.) so I could cycle the route. I am not really good in mountain biking, this race is not easy for me. My good friend Dan is laughing very often by me being so scared and he usually says something like: 'Come on Renata, even kids can cycle this route!' This year I had a strategy for that. I was cycling the route and every time I felt scared I got off the bike, walked back up and tried again. You can imagine, I got off the bike quite often. After this training I knew exactly where I should slow down, keep right or left, be careful or pick up the speed. When I got to the second transition I met my friend Dan (that one who said the route is easy), he was covered in blood after bike crash. Well, it's a good thing as this is first triathlon when I beat him!

Lesson learned:

• Getting to know the route might be very useful.
• Xterra is not really for me.

Slovakman, halfironman (1.9 - 90 - 21.1) DNF

Photo: Gabi Hejtíková.

Swimming in this triathlon was quite complicated as it was really choppy. I didn´t feel good, but I kept saying to myself that this is like another open water swim on Tuesday back in Portugal. Unfortunately I wasn´t able to draft anyone, swimmers were changing their way so quickly that I decided to swim alone. Bike wasn´t really good, I didn´t feel well. It was getting worse when I was running and I had to stop after aprox. 2km and lie down. One of the organisers came and then ambulance car. This is my first DNF. I felt so bad about not finishing, but I learn one important thing so it was worth to compete there. 

I must say, I enjoyed this short visit of Slovakia, seeing the place where I spent so much time as a child, having lots of memories from there and meeting my uncles, aunties and cousins.

Lesson learned:

• Mess in head means no proper performance

Salomon Trail running cup Ještěd (17km)

This race was 17 kilometres long and hilly. It was good at the beginning, I enjoyed meeting my friends and I also made friend during race with one runner, Michael from Prague. That was nice, but not afterwards when I wanted to have nice short break at refreshment point while Michael was shouting: 'Come one Renata, time to go, chop chop!' and then we ran downhill with crazy speed. I didn´t want to lose him so I tried my best to keep the same pace. After nice downhill there was (guess what?) long climbing up the hill where I definitely lost my sparing partner. I felt really weak and some lady saved my life by giving me energy bar. Somehow I finished, but with horrible time and thinking that this race was the last one this year. 

Lesson learned:

• Find out where are refreshment points and if there is any food at the race.
• Take more food, just in case.

Huge Thanks belong to:

• My mum for being the best support at triathlons
• My father for travelling with me to Slovakman race
• TTH gang and mainly coach Philip
• Scott and Lynn for feeding us in Portugal and for cheering us up at Quarteira triathlon
• Organiser of Slovakman and also guys from emergency car
• Dan and Standa, my czech friends who are so annoying and have the incredible ability of driving me mad, but who are so helpful when I need it.
• Maria for being my support at Hamrman race and for surviving our sleeping in a tent!
• Zdenda for telling me about Mont Blanc Marathon
• Singltrek pod Smrkem for hiring me a proper mountain bike
• Unknown lady who gave me energy bar at STRC Ještěd
• Readers of this blog! :-)

Marathon du Mont Blanc

I knew this marathon would be stupid idea. I´m not really good runner (I mean, not yet!) and when my friend Zdenek said: "The registration to Mont Blanc marathon is open, you should apply" I laughed so much, of course. Then I started to think about that. Registration to this marathon was a lottery, so I thought that it could be fun, I can apply and then I would wait if they choose us. Then it´s not me being stupid but it´s destiny being stupid, isn´t it?

Wednesday, 24th of June - travelling

My ID says that today I am one year older. Well, I don´t really care about my age and this day is the same as other days but ok, let´s say I´m now 24 years old instead of 22 (yes, that is not truth, I´m older). I guess "normal" people celebrate on they birthday, I was travelling to France instead.  

Thursday, 25th of June

We finally arrived to Chamonix. Mountains everywhere! I was so amazed, saying all the time: 

"Oh man, look at those mountains!"

"Look, there is Mont Blanc!"

"That is SO beautiful!" 

Yes, I was like a child in Disneyland. I just love mountains and Chamonix is really awesome. 

With Peter and Jarka.

We stopped at the registration place for our racing bibs and then we travelled to Le Tour (1470m), where we left our car and we started to climb up to the mountains. We found nice place to set up our tents, Col des Posettes (at about 2000m) and 8:30pm we all were in our beds (well, sleeping bags), so tired after travelling and hiking.

Tom.

Friday, 26th of June

How cool is our bedroom?

There was a beautiful sunrise in the morning with view at Mont Blanc. 

We had breakfast and then we packed our backpacks for a trip. We were also waiting for first runners because we realised that our tents are just next to the route of ultra run 80K. Our trip was through Col de Balme and then to really nice place called Refuge Albert (2712m) just next to the Glacier du Tour. So amazing to be that close to the glacier! Well, but I must admit that I didn´t feel good on our way up. There were some moments when I felt scared because I´m afraid of heights. 

We stayed there quite long, my friends said that it can help a little bit with our acclimatization. I had my physiology notes with me (stadying for exam) so I could read them some lessons about training at high altitude. My acclimatization was great...I fell asleep there. After a while some music from the kitchen woke me up. It reminded me times in Portugal, when Scott and Lynn were cooking with music, although this music was some crazy French one.

Mont Blanc & Renata. Love at first sight. 

Tom.

See? I WAS studying! Well, before I fell asleep...

Lovely picture? That is just before the bird shitted next to our bags!

Peter ready to jump.

The helicopter was bringing refresment point for our race on Sunday.

Saturday, 27th of June

Another beautiful sunrise up in the mountains. We couldn´t enjoy it for long time as we had to pack our things and return to Le Tour and then Chamonix. We found nice campsite to stay - Les Arolles, I can recommend this one! In afternoon we finally met with our friends so then we could study the route for tomorrow and chat about nutrition. I had my traditional before-race glass of wine. For my blood cells, of course.  

Nutrition for marathon.

Sunday, 28th of June - Mont Blanc Marathon

As you can see from profile, it was quite tough race. I tried to be (as coach Philip would say) smart and sensible, but I still have lots of to learn. 

4:50 - time to wake-up. Breakfast, packing things and leaving campsite at 6:15 to the centre of Chamonix.

6:50 - ten minutes to the start. I felt emotionally damaged and I almost had my little cry. Don´t ask me why, maybe some silly hormons.

7:00 - start of the race. I was running at comfortable pace as my friend said that I should not be so fast at the beginning. I tried to look for my friends but we got separated and I was on my own. 

I felt really happy when we started to climb some hills as there were beautiful views. I also smiled. A lot. There was lots of volunteers and I tried my nicest smile at every volunteer and every person who was cheering us up. Soon I realised that the more I was smiling the more they were cheering me up, so I smiled even more. That also helped me to keep some nice pace and be happy all the time. I was definitely the happiest runner there. Volunteers usually checked what name is on our racing bibs and they shouted our names, I heard many times: "Allez Renata, allez!".

I had a plan for nutrition, kind of the same what Laura and Philip were trying to teach me in Portugal. I ate every 20 or 30minutes according to the food I had with me. I felt quite good after every little snack but then I was thinking about first refreshment point at 17,4K, just before that biggest climbing. My thoughts were about chocolate, I hoped that they have some chocolate there. And they had :-) Life was awesome. Chocolate, banana, more water and my body was ready for the highest climbing - nearly six kilometres and almost 1000m up. I had with me those running poles (or nordic poles, whatever that name is in English) to help me up in steep parts. That went quite good, I overtook at least twenty runners there, it reminded me cross-country skiing, I had my comfortable pace and also some songs in my head. When I was thinking about Laura (because she´s got a birthday today!) the song was: Simply the best, of course. That was a really good song for climbing up that hill!

After highest point Aiguillettes des Posettes was nice downhill, I used my running poles again and I overtook some runners. That was fun, I do like running downhill and I felt like a mountain goat there! Unfortunately, then I wasn´t eating enough... I thought there would be refreshment point at 27K, just down that hill. There wasn´t and I made a huge mistake by not eating for quite long time. When I got to the refreshment point some guy there was playing guitar and singing song: No woman, no cry: "Everything is gonna be alright, everything is gonna be alright...". 

Sure man, everything is gonna be alright when I eat something. They had chocolate again and banana. After that refreshpoint was the route going uphill again, that was the time when I felt really sick and I tried to speak nicely to my stomach about not throwing up. Lots of runners were overtaking me and my left foot was getting worse, I wasn´t the happiest runner anymore. After long climbing I got to next refreshpoint, absolutely exhausted, unhappy (but still smiling at other people, because that is important!), my left foot was painful but I knew I had to get to the finish. When I am struggling that much I usually start to think about people who are not with us anymore - I mean they are always with us, but not physically in this world anymore. That helped a little bit and after the last refreshment point I was able to continue on my way to the finish. The last few hundred metres were really emotionall, people were cheering me up so much, shouting "Allez Renata, allez, allez!" and I nearly had another little cry.

I crossed the finish line with time 8:53:47, which is not impressive time at all, but I learned a lot.

Will I do something like that again? On Sunday I would say: "Never ever" but now? 

Well, never say never.

Thirty minutes to the start.

Five minutes to the start.

The highest point, still smiling.

Awesome views.

I managed it to the finish! :-)